Preston City Centre Business Improvement District applied to be a part of the programme and the success of the application comes just three months after the city topped the list as having the country’s unhealthiest high street.

Sixty-seven high streets will benefit in total, with the help given through the package hoping to improve job opportunities and reduce the number of empty properties.

BID chairman John Boydell said: “We have achieved huge progress since the BID launched in 2009 but it is important we embrace help from external sources when it is on offer to us.

“It is great that we will be able to work with Healthy High Streets and its many high profile partners as we look to develop Preston City Centre even further.

“We know we have done an excellent job of raising the standards for business owners and visitors to our city centre, but sometimes it takes the neutral eye of an outsider to pick up on the minor details and that is how we will look to utilise our selection for this programme.”

High street names, including EE and Marks & Spencer, are backing the programme which launched last June.